Evolution in schools

The current issue of Newsweek has a story on evolution in schools and the push by conservatives to teach so-called "Intelligent Design." So far, schools in Minnesota haven't really been subject to this controversy, but far-right groups like EdWatch are probably just waiting to do so.

Scientists say that Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory, and they are right. It belongs in philosophy classes, not biology. Proponents of this theory don't seem to care. Their singular focus is puzzling. The Bible says a lot of things, including that the Earth is the center of the universe. However, I don't see many people pushing schools to say that "Gravity is a controversial theory" and offering a competing "theory" that the Sun goes around the Earth and some "intelligent creator" uses invisible lassos to do this. This theory has as much scientific worth as Intelligent Design.

I have no problems with people's personal beliefs, but science is science. American students are ignorant enough when it comes to science; we don't need to add to it by pushing nonsense as a scientific theory, thus making the term meaningless. I have some questions for people who insist on teaching this. Why do you do this? What benefits do you get from believing that Intelligent Design is science? Do you sit around and gloat about how all of us evolutionists are going to Hell? I just don't get it, and I would really like to get some answers. Unfortunately, so far no creationists have ever explained these things to me.